Today’s blog post is brought to you by Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt

This recipe was part of a class I took a few months ago through Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.  It was a required class in my Nutrition program.  The class was taught by Chef Rachel Albert.  You can find her website and information on her website The Healthy Cooking Coach.   http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/  This squash soup was one of my favorite dishes.  I even made a double batch and froze some in a quart ball canning jar for later.  If you do this make sure you leave an inch or more of space at the top for expansion.  I highly recommend you make extra, you will love this soup.

During my classes with Chef Rachel, I learned she has been recovering from Cancer.  She is doing well these days.  As many of you reading this are all too aware, the financial toll this illness can take is extensive.  Chef Rachel has been paying for her treatments out of pocket.  When I learned of this I wanted to help any way that I could.

Chef Rachel has agreed to allow us to post her recipe on this blog this week, and any of her other recipes; and for that I am very grateful.  I would like to invite all of our readers to go to http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/, read Chef Rachel’s story and purchase the wonderful book she has created.  Many of the recipes I will be sharing in the coming weeks will be variations or exact replications of the recipes I have learned from Chef Rachel.  All proceeds from the sale of her book go directly to help with her medical expenses.  I know she will be grateful for financial support as well as your prayers.

One final note, I am honored to be attending a gathering of amazing folks this next April in Ventura, California as Chef Rachel’s assistant.  The gathering is called PrimalCon.  You can learn more about PrimalCon and so much more on the Primal Blueprint website http://primalblueprint.com/products/PrimalCon-Oxnard-2013.html.  This event is sold out but there will be another round in Lake Tahoe later in the year.

Now for the recipe:

Image Courtesy of: Renee Sullivan

Prep: 30 minutes Cooking: 40 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 (1 Cup) servings

I’ve been making this sweet and creamy squash soup for more than 20 years. It makes a great addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner and freezes well. You can vary the kind of squash you use during the fall, winter, and early spring––or the spices. If you get a not so sweet squash, you can doctor it up with a dash of Stevia or a tablespoon or two of honey, or maple syrup. Note: Do not use a dark or strong-flavored homemade vegetable broth in this recipe. See variations below for using baked squash to reduce peeling and chopping time.

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Ingredients:

2 to 3 teaspoons extra virgin coconut oil, clarified butter or ghee

1 medium to large onion, halved and diced or cut into thin slices (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt (Celtic, Lima, Si, Muramato, RealSalt, or Eden)

1 to 2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon dried, ground ginger

5 to 6 cups halved, seeded, peeled, and cubed uncooked winter squash: Kabocha, Hokaido, buttercup, butternut, sweet dumpling, honey delight or delicate

4 cups filtered water, homemade chicken broth or preservative-free vegetable or chicken broth (you may use part water, part stock or broth), plus more as needed to blend

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper, optional

3/4 teaspoon additional sea salt or 1 to 2 tablespoons sweet white, yellow, or mellow miso (reduce by one-half if using salted broth)

1/2 cup preservative-free, full-fat coconut milk or 1 cup rich, homemade almond milk

1/4 teaspoon Stevia extract powder and/or 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, optional

1/4 cup finely minced fresh fennel fronds, parsley leaves or chives for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil and onions in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add sea salt and stir until tender and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add ginger, stir, and cook for one more minute. Add squash and water or broth. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, wash, spin or pat dry, and chop the garnish, and set aside.

2. Purée the cooked vegetables and liquid from the pot with coconut milk using an immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender or food processor until smooth and silky. Add additional water or broth a little at a time as needed to yield 6 to 8 cups of soup. Add sea salt or white miso. Taste and adjust with sweetener as needed. Return the soup to the saucepan and heat gently if serving right away. Do not allow soup to boil.

3. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish, and serve. Transfer to wide mouth jars, allow the soup to cool, then cover, and refrigerate. Freeze whatever you do not plan to consume within 3 days.

Entire recipe with coconut milk: 662 calories, 16 g protein, 84 g carbohydrate (13 g fiber), 29 g fat, 265 mg calcium, 1936 mg sodium

1 cup soup made with coconut milk: 110 calories, 3 g protein, 14 g carbs (2 g fiber), 5 g fat, 44 mg calcium, 322 mg sodium

Variations:

Soothing-Squash Soup with Pie Spice: Replace ginger with 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.

Creamy Squash & Apple Soup: Replace 2 cups of winter squash with 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced. Replace 1 cup of water or broth with apple juice.

Soothing Ginger, Squash & Pear Soup: Replace 2 cups of winter squash with 2 medium, ripe, peeled, cored, and diced pears. Replace 1 cup of water or broth with pear juice.

Cut one large or several small buttercup, butternut or kabocha squash in half from top to bottom (about 2 to 2 ½-pounds worth). Scoop and discard seeds. Arrange squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Do not add water or foil. Bake in a preheated 400° F oven until soft and juicy, 35 to 45 minutes. Scoop out flesh and discard skin. Add cooked squash (about 3 cups) to sautéed onions in step 2 above with spices and liquid. Cover, bring to boil, and simmer for 15 minutes then purée as above.

© Copyright 2004 Rachel Albert-Matesz, www.TheHealthyCookingCoach.com

from The Garden of Eating: A Produce Dominated Diet & Cookbook

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Healthy Eating!

Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt